Chapter 49: Overwhelming Protective Instinct

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"Senior brothers, what is the matter? Truly, we sisters never meant to trouble you. If you have other urgent matters to attend to, we will take our leave."

With these words, she bowed to Lin Hao and his junior brother.

The junior brother had never understood why Lin Hao held him back. In his eyes, the female cultivators before them were nothing but gentle, fragile women worthy of his protection.

Hearing the senior sister's words only heightened his desire to protect them; his chivalrous instincts surged, and he spoke sharply to Lin Hao, "Senior brother, if you refuse to protect our senior sisters, then I will. You may return to the sect alone."

Lin Hao was infuriated by his words. This lack of discernment made him wish to abandon his junior brother entirely.

Pulling his junior brother aside, Lin Hao spoke, "Do you truly believe these women are good people? Look at their attire—it is hardly befitting the disciples of a reputable sect. They may well be demonic cultivators."

"How could that be?" his junior brother retorted. "Senior brother, what's wrong with how they dress? Many women dress like this. How can you judge their sect's reputation by their clothes alone? Didn't they say they belonged to the Sect of Passion?"

With a stubborn expression, he added, "Senior brother, are you merely afraid for your life? Worried the senior sisters might burden you? If that is your concern, then I will stay, and you can go find the elders yourself."

He refused to listen to Lin Hao, intent on traveling with the female cultivators.

He shook off Lin Hao's hand and strode over to them, soon laughing and chatting amiably with them.

The female cultivators greeted him with coquettish charm, quickly wrapping him around their fingers.

Witnessing his junior brother's foolishness, Lin Hao felt the urge to kick him into the next world.

The senior sister, observing Lin Hao's reaction, smiled and stood beside him. "Senior brother, is it as your junior said? Do you truly despise us sisters?"

"You overthink, senior sister. Why would I despise you?" Lin Hao replied coldly.

"In that case, since your junior brother has agreed, why not travel together?" the senior sister suggested opportunistically.

Lin Hao wanted to refuse, but unable to abandon his junior brother, he nodded, "Very well."

Upon his agreement, a flicker of joy flashed in the senior sister's eyes.

She moved closer, and Lin Hao caught a whiff of a strange fragrance. Frowning, he subtly distanced himself, brushed her hand from his arm, and walked toward his junior brother.

The senior sister, seeing this, showed a gloomy look, but her gaze revealed a determined intent as she followed.

Thus, they began their journey together.

During the day, nothing untoward happened. Lin Hao and his junior brother handled several spirit beasts, and the female cultivators from the Sect of Passion even helped, showing no signs of harming them.

Yet, the more peaceful things appeared, the less Lin Hao could relax. Deep down, he did not trust these women.

When night fell, Lin Hao and his junior brother proposed they keep watch, allowing the female cultivators to rest.

The first half of the night passed quietly. In the latter half, as Lin Hao and his junior brother sat in meditation, a strange fragrance suddenly wafted through the air.

With a thud, Lin Hao opened his eyes to see his junior brother collapsing to the ground.

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Seeing this, an inscrutable look flashed in Lin Hao’s eyes, and he let himself fall as well.

Once both Lin Hao and his junior brother were unconscious, the female cultivators awoke.

The senior sister instructed, "Quickly, check if they've truly fainted."

Lin Hao felt someone checking his pulse and breath; he immediately adjusted his state to appear thoroughly unconscious.

After examining him, a female cultivator exclaimed joyfully, "Rest assured, senior sister. When have we ever failed? He’s completely out."

"Excellent! I want to drain this one first!" declared a female cultivator, holding Lin Hao's hand.

The senior sister’s voice rang out, displeased, "Deal with the other one first. This one is mine."

"Senior sister, you’re trying to keep him for yourself!"

Her words sparked dissatisfaction among the others.

Lin Hao, eyes closed, listened to their conversation, puzzled by their term "deal with"—did they mean to silence them?

"I am the senior sister. Only by strengthening myself can I better protect you all. Besides, this boy’s spiritual energy is too strong; even three of you might not absorb it all. I’ll leave some for you—I won’t drain him entirely."

Hearing this, Lin Hao was shocked—absorb spiritual energy! So they intended to siphon his energy to enhance their cultivation. They truly were demonic cultivators.

He continued to feign unconsciousness.

After her words, the other female cultivators fell silent.

Soon, Lin Hao sensed everyone leave except one woman—the senior sister.

She propped Lin Hao against a tree and began to undo his clothes, breathing warmly against his neck and murmuring, "This scent is utterly intoxicating. If I drain you dry tonight, I’ll become second in the Sect of Passion."

As her hands moved over his clothes, Lin Hao could no longer restrain himself. He opened his eyes and pressed his Swallowing Cloud Sword against her throat.

The senior sister, overconfident, believed he was completely under her spell and had let her guard down.

Lin Hao’s sudden attack left her stunned.

When she finally reacted, she stared at him in shock. "You—"

Lin Hao gave her no time to speak. His sword flashed, and her head fell to the ground.

The remaining sisters cried out in alarm, "Senior sister!"

Lin Hao rose, glaring at them fiercely. "You vile creatures, dared to plot against me and my junior brother. Tonight, I shall uphold justice and rid the world of you!"

Sword in hand, he advanced step by step.

The women, seeing their senior sister slain, stared in disbelief and terror.

But as Lin Hao threatened to kill them, the woman in red shouted fiercely, "Sisters, attack together!"

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With those words, the women surrounded Lin Hao.

He sneered, and with a flick of his Swallowing Cloud Sword, it transformed into a longsword.

He unleashed his Strange Fire Lotus. Within half an hour, the women could no longer hold out; Lin Hao finished them off then and there.

Afterward, he burned their bodies, erasing all traces.

Curious, Lin Hao picked up an item and remarked, "Even the Strange Fire Lotus couldn’t burn this!"

Lifting it, he sensed its abundant spiritual energy. "It must be a treasure," he murmured.

He placed it in his system’s storage space and hurried to Mo Ming's side. Finding him still unconscious, Lin Hao shook him. "Junior brother, wake up!"

"Mm? What’s going on, senior brother?" Mo Ming, roused by Lin Hao, rubbed his head and looked at him in confusion.

"You fool, you fell into their trap! If not for me, you’d have been drained dry today," Lin Hao scolded.

"Impossible! Weren’t we traveling with the Sect of Passion and the senior sisters?" Mo Ming protested, glancing around.

He realized the members of the Sect of Passion were gone and anxiously asked, "Senior brother, where did the senior sisters go? Did they run into trouble?"

Even now, Lin Hao saw his junior brother worrying about them and, in his fury, smacked Mo Ming’s head.

"Ah! Senior brother, what are you doing? That hurts!" Mo Ming looked at Lin Hao indignantly, unable to understand why he was suddenly struck.

He still fretted over the sudden disappearance of the Sect of Passion, worrying for their safety.

"Still concerned about them? You’ve been bewitched, haven’t you? Don’t you know the most beautiful things are the most poisonous? Do I need to teach you that?" Lin Hao snapped.

Mo Ming, startled by Lin Hao’s intensity, meekly asked, "Senior brother, what do you mean?"

"What do I mean? I tried to stop you from following them; don’t you know those women from the Sect of Passion strengthen their cultivation by absorbing men’s spiritual energy? Your unconsciousness was their doing. They drugged you, and if I hadn’t rescued you, both of us would have died here today," Lin Hao explained.

"Is that true? How can it be?" Mo Ming was incredulous.

"Would I lie to you?" Lin Hao retorted.

Seeing his senior brother’s solemn face, Mo Ming realized he was telling the truth. Imagining himself shriveled from being drained, he shuddered.

He said, "Senior brother, I’m sorry. I caused you trouble this time."

Mo Ming was not someone who refused reason. With the Sect of Passion gone and no one to distract him, his clarity returned. His greatest virtue was his obedience.

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